Authentic Nuremberg Elisenlebkuchen are the only type of Lebkuchen where flour is optional. We have been baking them for years without a single crumb of wheat, because the German food standards require at least 25 per cent almonds and nuts for Elisen and allow no more than ten per cent flour. In our recipe, that means 450 g of almonds and hazelnuts to 160 g of sugar, and we use no flour at all. That is precisely what sets them apart from a sticky market Lebkuchen and makes the dense, marzipan-like Elise that turns soft in the mouth.
At our place, the Elisen go through the oven in batches from the beginning of November, because they only really come into their own after three weeks in a tin. Fresh from the oven they are still a little dry at the edges, but once they have matured they become soft, aromatic and taste of candied orange peel, honey and the classic Lebkuchen spice blend. The recipe has grown with us over the years. The Thermomix® is mainly there to chop the candied orange peel and candied lemon peel together with a little almond, without either sticking to the blade.
Elisenlebkuchen with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 12 ✓
- 300 g almonds
- 100 g candied orange peel
- 100 g candied lemon peel
- 150 g hazelnuts
- 4 eggs
- 160 g cane sugar
- 20 g honey
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Lebkuchen spice mix
- 1 pinch salt
- baking wafers 70 mm diameter
- 150 g dark chocolate coating or icing sugar glaze for decoration
Instructions 0 / 8
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1
Chop the candied orange peel.
Add 50 g almonds and the candied orange peel to the mixing bowl and chop for 10 sec / speed 8, then set aside.
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2
Chop the candied lemon peel.
Add 50 g almonds and the candied lemon peel to the mixing bowl, chop for 10 sec / speed 8, then add to the almond mixture.
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3
Grind the nuts.
Add the remaining almonds and hazelnuts to the mixing bowl, grind for 8 sec / speed 7, then add to the mixture.
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4
Whip the egg mixture.
Add the eggs, cane sugar and honey to the mixing bowl and whip for 3 min / speed 4 until foamy.
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5
Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Add the almond and hazelnut mixture, cinnamon, Lebkuchen spice mix and salt and stir for 40 sec / speed 5.
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6
Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 160 °C top and bottom heat (fan: 140 °C) and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
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7
Shape the Lebkuchen.
Spread the mixture onto the baking wafers and place them on the prepared baking tray.
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8
Bake the Lebkuchen.
Bake on the middle shelf for approx. 25 minutes. Leave to cool, then coat with chocolate or icing sugar glaze.
Tip: Decorate your Elisenlebkuchen with almonds after glazing.
Nutrition per serving
Why the 25 per cent rule determines flavour and texture
The German guidelines for fine baked goods only permit the name “Elisenlebkuchen” when the proportion of almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts is at least 25 per cent of the total weight and no more than ten per cent cereal flour is in the dough. In our recipe the nut content sits at around 50 per cent, well above the minimum. That is not a coincidence. Almonds and hazelnuts bind moisture differently from flour. During baking they release oil that keeps the Lebkuchen moist from the inside, while the protein structure from the whipped eggs creates a light crumb. Anyone who uses ready-ground almonds from a packet will get a flatter result. Freshly ground nuts from the mixing bowl deliver more aroma, because the essential oils are only released when the cells are broken open.
We work in two grinding passes. First, 50 g of almonds go into the mixing bowl together with 100 g of candied orange peel, 10 seconds at speed 8. The candied peel on its own would stick to the blade, but with the almonds it breaks down into small, even pieces. We do the same with the next 50 g of almonds and 100 g of candied lemon peel. The remaining 200 g of almonds and 150 g of hazelnuts are ground in a third pass at 8 seconds at speed 7, because here we do not want the mixture too fine. A slight texture is a reminder when you bite in that these are real nuts, not almond flour.
We season with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp Lebkuchen spice mix. The spice mix is easy to blend yourself. We described our blend in the recipe Lebkuchen Spice Mix with the Thermomix®. Freshly ground, it tastes noticeably rounder than the ready-made packet from the supermarket, because cloves and allspice lose their aroma very quickly.
The whisked egg mixture decides whether the Lebkuchen sink in the middle
In the original recipe, 4 eggs, 160 g of cane sugar and 20 g of honey are whisked for 3 minutes at speed 4. This is the most important stage of the whole recipe. Anyone who gets impatient and stops after 90 seconds will end up with a flat Lebkuchen with a damp centre. The mixture must become properly foamy, almost like a sponge batter. When you lift the mixing bowl lid, you should see a creamy, pale yellow mixture that flows off the spatula in slow ribbons. Anyone with a butterfly whisk will achieve even more volume, because the air bubbles are distributed more finely. We have tested both versions and prefer the butterfly whisk for Elisen, because the mixture holds its shape better afterwards.
Only then do the ground nuts, the chopped candied peel and the spices go in. The mixture is stirred for 40 seconds at speed 5. No more than that. Stirring any longer knocks the air out of the egg foam and produces a compact, hard Lebkuchen. We make sure the mixture is just homogeneous and stop immediately. If there are still dry nuts at the bottom, it is better to fold them in briefly by hand with the spatula.
Filling the baking wafers without a Lebkuchen dome mould
The mixture is quite wet, because it contains a lot of egg and no flour. On baking wafers with a 70 mm diameter, about one heaped tablespoon of mixture fits per piece. We spread it with a damp spatula into a dome shape that is just over a centimetre high in the centre and slightly thinner towards the edge. The mixture spreads a little during baking, so it is better to mound it slightly higher rather than too flat. Anyone with a dome mould will find it easier to get consistent sizes. It is not essential. With a tablespoon and spatula the result is just as good, just looking a little more rustic.
At 160 °C top and bottom heat, the Elisen need around 25 minutes. With fan heat, 140 °C is enough. Anyone with a hot oven should start checking after 20 minutes. The surface may turn golden brown, but the centre should still give very slightly when pressed lightly. If the Lebkuchen feels firm, it was in too long and will dry out. We always take the trays out as soon as the edges are set and the centre has just stopped looking glossy.
Glaze, maturing time and three common pitfalls
Straight after baking, the Lebkuchen are slightly crisp on the outside and already soft inside. They do not taste their best yet. We leave them to cool completely on a wire rack, then coat them with one of two glazes. For the chocolate version, we melt 150 g of dark chocolate coating for 4 minutes / 50 °C / speed 1 in the clean mixing bowl, dip the tops in, let the excess drip off and leave to set on the rack. For icing sugar glaze, we stir 150 g of icing sugar with a little lemon juice until the glaze falls off the spoon in thick drips, then brush it on. Both versions are traditional. The chocolate tastes richer, the icing sugar glaze is more classic.
Three mistakes we have made ourselves and learned from. First: egg foam that is too warm. If the mixing bowl is still warm from a previous step, the foam will not reach full volume. We wipe out the mixing bowl with cold water before whisking. Second: mixture spread too thinly. On the wafer, a flat blob looks like enough dough, but during baking it turns into a disc and dries out. Always mound it into a dome shape. Third: tasting too soon. Freshly baked Elisenlebkuchen taste decent, but not great. Only after at least a week in a sealed tin does the aroma develop fully. Three weeks is the optimum.
Variations we actually bake in our family
More marzipan-like: Replace 50 g of the almonds with finely chopped raw marzipan. This gives an even denser crumb and a very pronounced almond fragrance. We especially like this version with dark chocolate glaze.
With walnuts instead of hazelnuts: Swap the 150 g of hazelnuts for walnuts. The flavour is earthier and slightly more bitter, which goes better with honey glaze than with chocolate.
Without candied orange and lemon peel: If you are not keen on candied peel, replace all 200 g together with 150 g of finely chopped dates and the zest of one organic lemon and one organic orange. The flavour becomes darker and sweeter, but less typically festive.
With flaked almonds on top: Press three flaked almonds onto each Lebkuchen before baking. This looks attractive and adds a light toasted note.
From our Christmas baking collection
Anyone who wants to build up a full Lebkuchen stock will find the right companions here. Our classic Lebkuchen base recipe is the version with flour and honey dough, which is better suited to cutting out shapes with moulds. For using up dry Lebkuchen or as an addition to roast gravy, Lebkuchen Rusks with the Thermomix® work well. Anyone wanting to broaden their biscuit baking can look at our shortcrust pastry hub, where all the basic doughs for piped biscuits, Vanillekipferl and similar are collected. An overview of all festive Thermomix® recipes is in our Cookies collection.
4 weeks in a tin, not a plastic container
Elisenlebkuchen need some air, but not too much. We store them in a tin with baking paper between the layers. A plastic container makes them sticky after a few days, because the residual moisture cannot escape. A slice of apple on top keeps the Lebkuchen soft if they do start to dry out. Stored like this, they keep perfectly well for four to six weeks, and we deliberately bake the first trays at the beginning of November so that they reach their best by the third Sunday of Advent. Freezing works too, best done without the glaze. After thawing, add the chocolate or icing sugar glaze.
How other recipes compare
Goes well with: Gluhwein and vanilla sauce.
We have looked at the most popular Elisenlebkuchen recipes for the Thermomix®. Cookidoo uses 380 g of almonds only, with no hazelnuts, plus 60 g each of candied orange and lemon peel and 180 g of honey for 30 wafers of 70 mm. Other community recipes mix 200 g of almonds with 200 g of hazelnuts, 100 g each of candied peel and leave the dough to chill overnight. We deliberately use 300 g of almonds plus 150 g of hazelnuts, halve the honey to 20 g and mature the Lebkuchen for three weeks in a tin rather than overnight. The result is less sticky, with more nut aroma and a noticeably rounder depth.
More inspiration for the festive baking season can be found in the Lebkuchen Spice Mix recipe, the shortcrust pastry hub and the overview of all Thermomix® cookies.
